The rise of the MeToo movement in China in 2018 was the result of the spread of the global MeToo movement to mainland China, which inspired a new round of gender struggles against the backdrop of the rise of digital communication technologies and the transformation of collective action. Based on the empirical practice of the Chinese MeToo movement and gender performativity theory, this study focuses on exploring the connections among emotions, meaning, and relationships in women's MeToo narratives to correct the bias of ＂connective action＂ in neglecting human interaction and dynamism. The author develops a new concept of performative connectivity, which includes two dimensions: the dynamic connection of linguistic inter-subjectivity and the technical connection of digital communication. The dynamic connection is the intrinsic motivation for digital feminist action, while digital communication technology is seen as the cultural technology used to organize and expand feminist discourse and practices. The two are overlapping and closely intertwined, thus forming the associated configuration of ＂digital performative connectivity.＂
CBS (2017). More than 12M “MeToo” Facebook posts, comments, reactions in 24 hours. Retrieved December 10, 2017, from https://www.cbsnews.com/news/metoo-more-than-12-million-facebook-posts-comments-reactions-24-hours/.
Google Scholar
Chadwick, A. (2017). The hybrid media system: Politics and power. New York: Oxford University Press.
Google Scholar
Couldry, N. (2008). Mediatization or mediation? Alternative understandings of the emergent pace of digital storytelling. New Media & Society, 10(3), 373–391.
Google Scholar
Denyer, S., & Wang, A. Z. (2018, January 9). Chinese women reveal sexual harassment, but #MeToo movement struggles for air. The Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/chinese-women-reveal-sexual-harassment-but-metoo-movement-struggles-for-air/2018/01/08/ac591c26-cc0d-4d5a-b2ca-d14a7f763fe0_story.html.
Google Scholar
Dixon, K. (2014). Feminist online identity: Analyzing the presence of hashtag feminism. Journal of Arts and Humanities, 3(7), 34.
Google Scholar
